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A new study found that eating breakfast might not actually help in achieving weight loss.
Researchers from the Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, examined the effects of eating and skipping breakfast on the weight of adults from developed countries. The researchers gathered the data from 13 studies conducted within the last 28 years. Some of the studies analyzed the impact of eating breakfast on weight change, and others examined the habit’s effect on individuals’ daily calorie intake.
The researchers found that adults who ate breakfast had the tendency to consume an average of 260 additional calories per day. These adults also weighed around 0.44 kilograms heavier than those who skipped breakfast.
The study’s results imply that eating breakfast could lead to weight gain because people consume more calories. This idea contradicts the common belief that eating breakfast boosts metabolism and helps people feel full longer than usual, making them eat less and lose weight.
However, the researchers cautioned that the results should not be taken at face value. They explained that further research is necessary because some of the studies they examined were conducted in short durations, and their standards also varied.
Despite their study’s limitations, the researchers do not advise people to change their diets by excluding breakfast as a strategy in losing weight. According to the study’s lead author, Dr. Flavia Cicuttini [FLAH-vee-ah chee-koo-TEE-nee], monitoring one’s calorie intake is the key to losing weight.
Dr. Cicuttini also emphasized that people should follow a diet that is compatible with their bodies. Thus, depending on their bodies’ needs, individuals may either eat breakfast daily or skip it entirely if they are not hungry.